Hi,

got some more light to put into this...

>
> > There can be no clever fix. ...
>> Anything that uses OS9
>> code to communicate needs to learn speak "Carbon" at least to
>> communicate in OSX.
>
>OK, so VST code is more like proper application code than pseudocode
>run by a smart VST container. Understood.

Just like any code, VST uses portions of the OS. This is for example
everything concerning "higher" maths other that simple algebra (+-*/)
on a specific processor (PPC, Intel) like sine-function, powers or
square roots. These portions could be the same in carbon and classic,
but they are not.

The really big issue is graphics. - Drawing a pixel to the screen in
carbon is a completely different game than in classic. Though the
actual functions are named the same, they are different (Quartz is
not QuickDraw).

To determine what code of the system the programmer wants to use, he
"links" his code with so called libraries ("dlls" on windows) that
can be more or less seen as "maps" to the system architecture (some
developers *LOL*, okay).

These libraries are different in carbon and classic.

For VST there is a special library, "VSTGUI.lib" that manages the
graphics of most plugins. There is a different version of this
library for carbon and classic, too.

>
>
>> Notice the key phrase of yours: "When it becomes OSX specific"--how
>many of
>> the VST Instruments proudly say "Carbonized for OSX!" on the box?
>Didn't
>> think so.
>
>True, but I've just gone and looked at a few VST boxes in my
>cupboard, and none of them proudly proclaim compatibility with
>Windows XP, either.
>They simply have two logos, one for "PC" and one for "Mac", and the
>PC compatibility box typically says something like "95/98" and the
>Mac box says something like "requires Mac OS7.5 or higher"

Theres quite a difference between 9 to X and 98 to XP...

> > It will be a temporary problem. ...
>> Since everything needs to be rewritten for OSX, the issue is
>> being dealt with in the form of developers all saying they are
> > or will work on re-coding their plugins for OSX. ...
>

Most of the programmers are waiting for host software like Logic to
appear on OS X first before they go carbon with their plugins.

Going carbon is very, very simple for VST programmers. In 98% they
don't have to change any code at all, they just have to change the
libraries they link to and press "build"-button. Some have to upgrade
their programming environment, but that's another thing.

Ahh, they have to change their logos, badges, documentation, the like
(The part I hate the most).

I have already compiled my plugin "More Feedback Machine" for OS X,
but I havn't got any reasonable testing environment. That's why I
havn't published it, yet.

;) Urs


urs heckmann
urs@...
www.u-he.com <- check out more feedback machine vst plugin